Sebia, a diagnostics company working in the fields of multiple myeloma and chronic diseases, has partnered with Metafora biosystems to develop a portfolio of in-vitro diagnostics or IVD solutions based on Metafora’s technology platform. Metafora leverages a single-cell artificial intelligence-powered diagnostic platform for the detection of cellular metabolism anomalies. In conjunction with the agreement, Sphinx, Sebia’s parent company, has acquired a minority share in Metafora.
“We are excited to partner with Metafora biosystems, and to apply their innovative technology to make significant strides in the field of cancer and metabolic disease diagnostics,” says Jean-Marc Chermette, chairman and chief executive officer of Sebia. “Our initial focus will be on applications in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma, where Sebia is the world leader, and we then expect to work together in other therapeutic areas.”
The partnership between Sebia and Metafora focuses on the development of new analytical methods, in particular in hematology. Hemato-oncology still suffers from a lack of robust diagnostic tests on which to base informed therapeutic decisions and the two partners say they aim to tackle these unmet needs.
“Sebia’s commitment, both strategically and financially, is a key milestone in Metafora’s development and highlights and validates the potential of our platform,” says Vincent Petit, co-founder and CEO of Metafora. “Sebia’s investment enables us to accelerate our R&D programs and prepare for commercial launches between now and 2023. We look forward to collaborating with Sebia’s team and learning from their wealth of expertise in diagnostics to accelerate our development.”
Pierre Sonigo, chief scientific officer of the Sebia Group, voiced similar sentiments. “Metafora’s technology achieves the equivalent of a PET-Scan, the reference technology for cancer imaging, on liquid biopsies, i.e., from a simple blood sample,” he says. “The resolution of this analysis, which is based on flow cytometry, is the highest achievable since the sample is analyzed at a single cell level. This partnership expands the range of Sebia’s electrophoresis and mass spectrometry technologies, optimizing the diagnosis and monitoring of cancers and chronic diseases.”
